Arizona

Arizona Cardinals Camp Battles: Right Guard

Published

2 years ago

July 24, 2022

Arizona Cardinals Camp Battles: Right Guard

The return of Rodney Hudson at heart for the Arizona Cardinals solidified 4 of 5 beginning offensive line spots.

The outlier is correct guard, the place now-New York Large Max Garcia began when wholesome in the course of the second half of final season.

The Prime Rivals

Justin Murray
Josh Jones
Will Hernandez

Outdoors photographs

Sean Harlow
Lecitus Smith
Marquis Hayes

The Cardinals have added names to the competitors in the course of the offseason, whereas Josh Jones and Justin Murray are returners who had been in the identical battle a 12 months in the past.

Probably the most skilled newcomer is Will Hernandez, who spent the final 4 years with the Giants and performed below Cardinals offensive line coach Sean Kugler at UTEP.

He signed a one-year deal in the course of the offseason.

Cardinals normal supervisor Steve Keim singled out these three gamers when speaking concerning the place battle throughout an look on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports activities Station.

“Now we have a lot of choices,” Keim mentioned. “I really feel like we’re fairly deep on the offensive line. Simply obtained to maintain proceed to get higher.”

Arizona additionally drafted a pair of guards this 12 months in Virginia Tech’s Lecitus Smith and Oklahoma’s Marquis Hayes.

Jones received the precise guard spot coming into the season final 12 months, however he fell out of the beginning combine late within the season. He struggled with penalties, committing 10 in 17 video games.

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He enters Yr 3 within the NFL at 25 years previous after getting drafted as a deal with.

“Josh has completed plenty of good issues, notably his potential to play in and out, play deal with and guard,” Keim mentioned. “He definitely regarded good this spring.”

Murray began one sport in 2021, however missed many of the season with a again damage. He took over the precise guard job down the stretch of the 2020 marketing campaign after beginning 12 video games at proper deal with in 2019.

The 29-year-old has essentially the most expertise enjoying in head coach Kliff Kingsbury’s system.

Hernandez has began each sport in three of 4 seasons because the Giants chosen him within the second spherical in 2018. He performed 95% of offensive snaps final 12 months, solely at proper guard, though he was the left guard throughout his first three seasons.

He’s the heaviest participant on the workforce at 335 kilos, even larger than defensive deal with Leki Fotu.

For no matter it is value, Hernandez was current not too long ago on a social media graphic distributed by the workforce with Arizona’s different beginning offensive linemen.

Smith and Hayes obtained loads of expertise towards big-school competitors, as each had been three-year starters.

Arizona, although, has not had a rookie begin persistently on the offensive line since heart Mason Cole in 2018.

Harlow is one other returner who discovered a backup function final season. He began 5 video games filling in at left guard and heart, however didn’t take a snap on the precise facet of the road.

The Cardinals’ offensive line was largely in flux final 12 months as a result of accidents and circumstances of COVID-19. Jones and Murray have expertise in a number of positions, which may assist fill out the depth chart.

D.J. Humphries at left deal with, Justin Pugh at left guard, Hudson at heart and Kelvin Beachum at proper deal with are the returning starters from final 12 months.

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Arizona

3-star offensive lineman Michael Langi commits to Arizona, first pledge of 2026 class

Published

6 hours ago

June 26, 2024

Press Room

3-star offensive lineman Michael Langi commits to Arizona, first pledge of 2026 class

Arizona has been on a tear this month, picking up 13 commitments in June for its 2025 recruiting class after entering with only two. And now it already has one for the following class.

3-star offensive lineman Michael Langi committed to the UA on Tuesday night, giving the Wildcats their first pledge of the 2026 class nearly 18 months before those recruits could officially sign.

he 6-foot-3, 265-pound Langi, who goes by ‘Bobo’ rather than Michael, is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 509 player in the 2026 class. He’s also considered the No. 41 interior offensive lineman in the country and the No. 79 prospect from California.

Langi, who was offered by Arizona in January, picked the Wildcats over offers from ASU, Colorado and Penn State, among others. He is the younger brother of 3-star offensive lineman Peter Langi, a 2025 recruit whom the UA had in for an official visit last weekend.

Both Langis play for Archbishop Riordan in San Francisco, the same school where Arizona recently got a commitment from 3-star offensive lineman Losipini Tupou. They are no relation to Sam Langi, who appeared in 21 games (with four starts) on the offensive line for the Wildcats from 2020-23.

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Arizona

Former Baylor pitcher Collin McKinney commits to Arizona baseball

Published

14 hours ago

June 25, 2024

Press Room

Former Baylor pitcher Collin McKinney commits to Arizona baseball

In winning both the Pac-12 regular season and conference tournament titles, Arizona put up some of the best pitching numbers in the country and led the nation in a trio of categories.

The Kevin Vance effect was real, and it’s made the Wildcats a desirable destination for pitchers hoping to improve their pro prospects.

Arizona has landed a second potential weekend starter from the NCAA transfer portal, getting a commitment Tuesday from former Baylor right-hander Collin McKinney.

The 6-foot-5 Texas native comes to Tucson with three years of eligibility, but with a big 2025 season could get drafted. He’s coming off a 2024 campaign as a redshirt freshman (he sat out 2023 due to injury) in which he started 14 games for Baylor and was 3-6 with a 6.70 ERA.

McKinney struck out 60 batters in 49.2 innings but also walked 35 and allowed 11 home runs. He had back-to-back 10-strikeout performances midway through the season but didn’t go more than four innings in any of his final seven starts.

He is Arizona’s second portal pickup, both righties who have started throughout their college career. Last week the Wildcats landed ex-Rutgers RHP Christian Coppola.

Coppola is ranked by 64Analytics as the No. 30 transfer, while McKinney is No. 168. For perspective, none of the players Arizona has lost to the portal was ranked in the top 1,000.

The UA is likely to lose all three weekend starters with righties Clark Candiotti and Cam Walty graduating and lefty Jackson Kent expected to get drafted and start his pro career.

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